§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how, in the current stage of pay policy, the principles contained in his reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright)—Official Report, 3rd December 1976, col. 300—apply in calculating the total salary bill increase and ascertaining whether it falls within the Government's pay guidelines;
(2) whether any increase in the average salary of a pay group due to the creation of new jobs filled by either the promotion of existing workers or the recruitment of new employees counts against the Government's pay limit increase.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.